Rollout of Personal Independence Payments delayed

Posted on 30/10/2013

Personal Independence Payments (PIP) were due to replace
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) payments nationwide from 28 October, but this
has now been delayed.

Now, only certain areas across Britain will see the changes
come into force, as the government says that assessments for claimants are
taking longer than expected. The scheme is still set to go ahead, however it
will be phased in more gradually than originally planned.

The 3.3 million DLA claimants will be reassessed and moved
to the new system over the next few years. The procedure introduces written and
face-to-face medical assessments. It is estimated by the Department of Work and
Pensions that 450,000 people will be ineligible for PIP by 2018, while 780,000
will get the same or more than they previously did.

According to the timetable for changes, most people on DLA
will continue to claim this until 2015, when they will start to reapply for
PIP. At the moment, all new claimants for the benefit are assessed for PIP.
From October, the aim was to have reassessed and changed over all claimants
whose circumstances have changed, but the delay means that this is only
happening for people in Wales, East Midlands, West Midlands and East Anglia.

You can read more PIP, DLA and other payments on our
dedicated Benefits
page.